The Cold Cut

Wolf Parade- Call It A Ritual (Link 2)
Death Cab For Cutie- I Will Possess Your Heart (Link 2)
Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Boys Noize Happy Birthday Remix) (Link 2)

A Few Venial Sins is a twice monthly e-zine, with contributions in the form of poetry, gig reviews, general music articles and random pieces about food, TV, and everything else in between.

It's the first time I have been asked to write for someone else, and I was honoured to write an article on 'difficult second album syndrome' for this new e-zine. I am sure The Cold Cut will always be here, but since I started writing my aims have become more ambitious. With record companies finally coming to terms with the importance of blogs as promotional outlets, there are many prospects that come with running a succesful blog- my inbox is bursting at the moment, and I love that feeling that I'm making a difference.

My aim is to begin to branch out and start to get my name out there, hopefully whilst continuing to maintain this blog (possibly with a little help from other contributors- drop me a line if you're interested). Below is an excerpt from the article: follow the link to read the rest:

"An interesting point arises when you consider the question: 'what is your definition of a sophomore slump?'. Obviously, the quality of an album is subjective. However, in some cases, the boundaries between people's opinions become so extreme that for every person hailing the album as a realisation of talent (A), there is another to condemn it as a 'piece of shit' (B). Generally, this translates into the fans (A), and the critics (B). An apt example of this is 'Room On Fire', the second album by The Strokes.

How do you follow up an album that pretty much spawned its own scene? And let us not forget the endless horde of identikit rivals waiting to fill the gaps like a musical poly-filler (and just about as exciting), who were conveniently there for critics to draw comparisons. 'Room On Fire' was not the answer the journalists were waiting for."

Make sure you check out my article, comment, spread the love and make sure you read some of the other great content whilst you're there.

When I first heard Justice's '†', I was impressed, but not as much as the hype said I should be. Worst of all, I found the Daft Punk comparisons confusing: they're a duo, and they're French. Must be the next Homem-Christo and Bangalter, then. Never mind the fact that their music is only loosely similar.

However, the album really crept up on me- mostly due to its marketing: the videos have all been excellent (watch DVNO, NOW), and the endless stream of remixes has kept up their exposure. Everyone has had a go, and whilst some have been more successful than others, there is no doubt that '†' is remix fodder. Even Justice have contributed- "What? So you weren't happy with the original song? Oh well...". Put it this way- wikipedia has a whole page devoted to Justice remixes. Here are a few of the best:

Justice- DVNO (Justice Remix)
Justice- Phantom Pt. II (Boyz Noize Remix)
Justice- D.A.N.C.E. (Les Rhythmes Digitales Remix)

Over the last few weeks, a more interesting application of '†' has emerged: the backing for a rap. Wale did it first, with the unbelievably amazing W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E., which I was only alerted to a couple of days ago. He really does kill it, and its an intuitive use of a brilliant song. I await his label debut: check out some mixtapes over at DatPiff.
'Cut beats; I'm a fucking word surgeon. Scalpel... Sponge... This working. D.A.N.C.E.'

Justice/Wale- W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.

Only minutes after hearing Wale's interpretation of the song, I received an email from Webbafied. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, this up and coming hip hop artist had me hooked from the moment I opened the email. Justice's '†', re-tooled with a rapper. The whole thing. Free. With the 'Grey Album', Dangermouse took two distant albums- The Beatles 'White Album' and Jay-Z's 'The Black Album'- and created something new, but retaining the quality of the original work. Webbafied has pulled off a familiar feat with 'Webbafied Does It Justice', except rather than working as a producer (like DM), he has lent his lyrical wit to the songs.

Justice/Webbafied- Let There Be Light
Justice/Webbafied- Stress

Admittedly, its an ambitious project, and not every track has the necessary space or vocal cues that Webbafied needs to work with. There are a handful of occasions, though, when the potential of such a project is fulfilled: the new version of 'Let There Be Light' sends shivers down my spine... 'Valentine' takes on a heartful meaning: 'Everyday is February 14th. Say my prayers hoping that you won't leave. All my life I waited for the right one. You're the type I need to mother my son.' Best of all, though, is 'DVNO', a song that has felt the power of ressurection. With So-Me's video and this re-tool, it is rapidly developing into my favourite Justice release, period.

The intelligence of Webbafied is clear: his interpretation of what the original songs are actually about is generally spot on. Artists hoping to cut a path into the big-time should follow his example: coupling your skills with an album of well known songs is a sure-fire way to get noticed. In doing so, he has already jumped the first hurdle: familiarity. And with a respect for the original material, he cannot fail: whereas Wale turns the backing treble right down, Webbafied waits for the gaps to do his thing. Sometimes, this creates awkward silences, but it's the right approach to take for an album interpolation.

You should check out Webbafied's MySpace page, where 'Webbafied Does It Justice' can be downloaded for free. Also, make sure you have a listen to his extensive back-catalogue.

Update: A behind the scenes look at the making of 'Webbafied Does It Justice'...

There's been a definite change in direction for the music industry: any song that makes it onto the charts has it's own set of remixes before you can say "cash-cow". I made it my job today to dig through the mountain of material and find some of the real gems:

Rihanna Ft. Chris Brown- Umbrella


This is an interesting one: I shamefully admit that I'm a massive fan of the original, and Chris Brown is a solid addition, slotting in his computer-enhanced voice and some original lyrics:
"Baby girl you can be my Cinderella, ella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh"
It was a brilliantly bold hip-hop song to begin with: add Chris Brown, some more 'direct 'lyrics and you have an even superior version... but please don't spoil the magic and re-release it (as if Rihanna needs more money anyway?).

Feist- My Moon My Man (Boyz Noize Remix)

You might spot the trend (yes, I only just wrote about Boyz Noize), but this is a lot more than I expected from him on the remix front. You have to have balls to mix Feist's whispy voice with a bloody great voice synth, but the bravery pays off. I've listened to this about 15 times and I can't see any reason to dislike it- someone influential get a hold of this, I beg you, and give credit where it's deserved (Yes, Zane Lowe, YOU, if for some crazy reason you're reading).

M.I.A Ft. Battles & Akon- Boyz (Diplo Remix)


The sign of a skilled DJ/MC is that they can remix a song with an artist you hate an make you love them 3 minutes later. I have always been quick to show my confusion towards Battles and their space-rock- how else can you describe it?- and Akon has been a thorn in my side since 'Lonely' clogged up MTV Base. Mix these together with M.I.A.'s insanely brilliant Boyz, however, and you have something which miraculously works, and even sounds less 'out-there' than most of Kala, her latest album. Please let me know how you feel about these songs- isn't Boyz Noize remix awesome?

So there you have it: some DJ's do themselves proud and outdo the numerous "Jazzy Phizzle produc-shizzles" which get dumped on the music industry each year.

Deep down inside, it really pains me to say this, but Justice are no longer the clear heirs to Daft Punk's large pyramid shaped throne. In fact, I would say they are close to being usurped from their 'temporary' position by Boyz Noize, a one man synth-king who regularly blows audiences away with his live performances.

I was incredibly surprised when I saw Justice at Lowlands this year, and it was much more of a 'performance' than I expected from two people. Their set-up was awesome, with two massive decks, a huge stack of speakers and their trademark neon cross. All in all, they gave a mind-blowing performance, linking songs together so that the sound was uninterrupted for an hour... but as good as Justice were, they didn't live up to my earlier claim as the rightful heirs to Daft Punk's legacy. In fact, when you hear them live you can tell quickly that theirs is a different style of dance music altogether.

My feelings have changed, but that's not to say that I don't believe Justice will go far with their unique style of music. The only thing is in Daft Punk's (extremely long absence) we all miss someone with their style, and in Boyz Noize, we may have found our substitute. Boyz Noize has obviously inherited their talent with samples: check out the tracks below for some clear proof. If you like his catchy dance tunes, "Oi Oi Oi", his new album, can be purchased here. Also, check out his myspace for a few more tracks (I have yet to dislike one of his remixes... check out Feist's "My Moon My Man" in particular).

Boyz Noize- & Down
Boyz Noize- Let's Buy Happiness